“That’s an interesting tension, and also a call to action that employees might be moving faster than their organisations.”
To help address the local AI skills shortage, AWS announced the launch of its first AI certification for business leaders this week.
The report set out three foundations for how AI adoption can be turned into economy-wide transformation.
The first is to make AI strategy practical. This means helping businesses identify use cases, fund, measure, and scale what works, especially in industries with complex operating environments.
The second is build a future-ready workforce. That would involve expanding certification-linked training pathways, measuring the effectiveness of skills programmes, and harnessing the self-directed learning already underway among New Zealanders.
The third recommendation is to help organisations prepare for the next wave of AI.
“Accelerate adoption in the sectors with the most to gain, such as agriculture and healthcare, by making early-adopter results visible, building tailored skills pathways, and ensuring guidance reflects the operating realities of each industry,” Bohnet explained.
Partners play a crucial role in helping local business bridge these gaps, Bohnet said.
“Partners are super critical and relevant for us, especially in New Zealand, where a lot of our customers are dependent on expertise from specialists and partners. So, [they’re] a very important part of the network we’re building and the community we’re nurturing here.”